Peebles pieman makes the shortcrust

JIM LEISHMAN PICKS HIS PREMIER PIES AND HELPS TO DECIDE WHO WILL MAKE THE SHORTLIST OF THE WORLD SCOTCH PIE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2015' Jim Leishman picks his premier pies and helps to decide who will make the shortlist' Judging took place at Carnegie Conference Centre, Dunfermline on Wednesday 11th November 2015 and the winners ' which will remain a closely guarded secret until 13th January 2016 - have been chosen.''More than 500 products entered'By nearly 100 of the nation's best butchers and bakers'Judged by 50 experts including Jim Leishman'10 category winners selected'But only ONE World Champion Scotch Pie

Published:11:31Wednesday 16 December 2015

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Peebles butcher W.T.S. Forsyth has made the shortlist for the 17th World Scotch Pie Championships with four of its products.

Scotland’s top butchers and bakers have been trimmed down by expert judges, and they found Forsyth’s sausage roll, lasagna pie, macaroni pie and pork pie worthy of inclusion in the sausage roll, hot savoury and cold savoury categories – and may be up for an award at a glittering ceremony to be hosted by TV personality Carol Smillie early in the new year.

Joint owner Callum Forsyth said: “It’s fantastic to be shortlisted. There are a lot of good pie makers out there, so to be recognised for ours is an honour.”

So what makes W.T.S. Forsyth’s pies special?

Callum said: “We use all-local produce and our pies are handmade on the premises to recipes handed down through the years.”

New head judge Ian Nelson led a team of 50 comprising of professional judges and a small number of pie lovers at Carnegie Conference Centre in Dunfermline on Wednesday, November 11.

He was also joined by a special judge – Provost of Fife and football legend Jim Leishman.

Jim said: “I was honoured to be asked to join the panel of judges for this iconic competition. The overall standard was excellent and I was astounded by the variety of products that were entered and just how seriously the judges take the competition.

“The Scotch Pie is my favourite, but I have a soft spot for my specialist category, the best football pie in the land, and I now know that I have tasted the best.”

Head judge Nelson said: “Scotland is lucky to be home to some of the world’s most experienced and talented bakers and butchers. The World Scotch Pie Championship provides an opportunity for Scotland’s finest to showcase their skill. The competition aims specifically to highlight those entrants that create world-class artisan products.”

He continued: “This year has seen a particularly high standard of entries and the judges have had a challenge in front of them.

“This competition was designed to both reward excellence and raise the bar for standards in the industry – and year-on-year we continue to be impressed by the increased level of creativity and talent.”